Rein-guard attachment for shafts



Nrrnn t ARCHIBALD B. RUF, CF HARRODSBURG, KENTUCKY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,901, dated March 16, 1897.

Application filed September 3, 1896. Serial No. 604,702. (No model.)

T0 all whom t may oon/cern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD B. RUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrodsburg, in the county of Mercer and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rein-Guard Attachments for Shafts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of rein supports or devices for preventing horses from switching their tails over the reins in which the support is adjustably connected to a pair of shafts or thills; and its novelty and many advantages will be fully understood from the following description and claim when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a pair of shafts equipped with my improved rein-sup port. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation with parts in section, illustrating the manner in which the support is connected to the shafts and braces; and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modification of the manner of adjustably connecting the support to the shafts. y

Referring by letter to the said drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l and 2 thereof, A indicates the front axle of a vehicle.

B indicates a pair of shafts or thills which may be of the usual construction and may be connected with the axle in the ordinary manner, and C indicates my improved rein-support. This support C, which is preferably formed in one piece of metal, comprises the cross-bar a and the arms b, which depend from the ends of the bar a and have the flattened portions c, provided at intervals in their length with apertures d, as shown. The said arms b are connected to the shafts B by the bolts D, which extend through the apertures d and also through transverse apertures e in the shafts and are provided With nuts j', the provision of the plurality of apertures d in the arms of the support permitting of the said support being adjustably connected t-o suit horses of different heights.

E indicates the braces of the support. These braces E are xedly connected at one end to the shafts B in rear of the support C, and they extend upwardly from such point of connection and are provided at their opposite ends with the eyes g, which receive the arms b of the support and also the rubber sleeves h, as shown. The said sleeves 71l surround the arms b and are tightly interposed between said arms and the eyes g, and they are provided at their upper ends with the outwardlydirected flanges t', which bear upon the eyes g, and thereby serve to hold them in their proper position. As stated, the sleeves h tightly receive the arms b and are tightly interposed between the same and the eyes g, and it will therefore be seen that the support will be rigidly held, and all shaking and the objectionable rattling noise incident thereto will be obviated. It will also be seen that while the support will be rigidly held by the braces said support may be vertically adjusted when desired without im pairing the efficiency of the braces E or the rubber sleeves 7L.

It will be readily appreciated fromthe foregoing that when properly adjusted to suit the height of a horse my improved device will support the reins, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. l, and will thereby effectually prevent the same from getting beneath the horses tail and this without interfering with the free movement of the tail.

It will also be observed that my improved support is very simple and. easily connected to shafts such as at present in use, and that when properly ornamented it will enhance rather than detract from the beauty of a vehicle.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a construction which renders it unnecessary to provide apertures in the depending arms of the rein-support in order to ad justably connect the same to the shafts. In this construction the arm b' is passed through a verticallydisposed sleeve D on the shaft B and is adjustably fixed therein by the binding-screw f', as shown. This construction, while it does not effect so secure a connection as that shown in Figs. l' and 2, is advantageous for the reason that itperinits of the support being read- IOO ily adjusted and also permits of it being readl ily connected to and disconnected from the shafts when desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a rein-support, the Combination of a pair of shafts, the braces iixedly connected to the shafts and extending upwardly and forwardly and having the vertically-disposed eyes at their upper ends, the sleeves of rubber or other suitable material arranged in said eyes and having langes bearing upon the same,

and the support having the cross-bar and the arms depending from the ends of the Crossbar and extending through the rubber sleeves and the eyes of the braces and adjustably connected with theI shafts substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. B. RUE. lVitnesses:

J. P. SPILMAN, B. F. SPILMAN. 

